Latest news with #ZachariayudeGarbhinikal
India.com
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This actress made some shocking revelations about film industry and named a film producer who works in…
The film industry nowadays has become a narcotics circuit in which almost every industry has been involved. Recently, a renowned actress from the Malayalam film industry has made some shocking claims which are related to the longer-running narcotics circuit, which has now become a special budget for the producers. Let's have a look. Sandra Thomas Spills The Beans About The Narcotics' Influence On The Film Industry During an interview with Onmanorama, actress-producer Sandra Thomas made a revelation about the Malayalam film industry's narcotics business. She also mentioned it as one of the most sensitive issues that now huge production houses and their producers are making a specially curated budget for its utilization on the film sets. Meanwhile, Sandra has specifically called out the film producer Listin Stephen, who predominantly works in the Malayalam and Tamil industries. Sandra has claimed that Listin was aware of the narcotics problems on the movie set, but he refused to address this heinous issue. Both Men & Women Are Dealing With This Issue Furthermore, Sandra has also said that this problem is not just limited to men but now women are also getting lured into this ugly trap and some of the producers who are trying to get rid of this issue are keeping their mouths shut so that the actor or actresses reputation does not get ruin because if this happens their projects might get stop or shelved. Sandra Raised The Same Issue Earlier In 2023, when their were reports raised of heavy usage of narcotics in the Malayalam industry, Sandra was the one who stood up against the usage and open sale of the product and yet this time, she has again called out producers and the industry for not stopping it which is actually causing a huge effect on the movie budget like a person from the prominent production house is now dealing for narcotics on the sake of movie budget. More about Sandra Thomas In terms of workfront, Sandra has been part of very critically acclaimed films that includes 'Friday', 'Zachariayude Garbhinikal', 'Peruchazhi' and 'Aadu'. In 2017, she established her own production house named Sandra Thomas Productions.
Mint
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Who is Sandra Thomas? Actor-producer claims 'budgets' are allotted for drugs in Malayalam film industry
Amid several claims of rampant drug use in the Malayalam film industry, actress-producer Sandra Thomas alleged that drug abuse has been normalised on film sets. She said that separate rooms and dedicated budgets are being allocated for drugs in the industry now. In an On Manorama interview, Sandra said, "A special budget is being allotted exclusively for this. Even separate rooms are allotted for this purpose." She also slammed the industry people for not taking a stand against the situation despite one after another incident. Sandra Thomas is best known for starring in Malayalam films like Amen, Mimics Parade, O' Faby, Peruchazhi, Aakashvani, Aadu, Kili Poyi and Zachariayude Garbhinikal. Besides acting, Sandra co-founded the production company Friday Film House, with producer Vijay Babu. Later, Sandra and Vijay Babu had a fallout and she moved on to establish her own production banner, Sandra Thomas Productions. She has also backed projects like Zachariayude Garbhinikal and Philips and the Monkey Pen. Sandra is married to Wilson John Thomas who is a businessman and owner of an event management company. Together they have twin daughters who were born in 2018. She is quite popular on Instagram. She also has a YouTube channel with 180K subscribers. Sandra recently made headlines when she opened up about the alleged drug situation in Mollywood. She said that the industry associations should have taken a 'proper stand' against drug abuse five to ten years ago to avoid the current state of the industry. She said, 'Everyone was aware of what was happening on sets. But no one took corrective steps, as they needed these people for future projects. Now, a special budget is being allocated exclusively for this. Even separate rooms are allotted for this purpose. However, the associations say the entire industry cannot be blamed just because of one or two people.' Sandra even called out producer Listin Stephen for not taking a stand. She said people irrespective of their status now indulge in drug use. She added, 'Aren't people like Listin aware of this problem? Don't they know that drugs are lavishly available and are being used on sets? They have refused to take a step against it. It has now reached the stage where both men and women, and everyone, irrespective of their status, use it. Producers are unwilling to raise a complaint because of the fear that it will stall their projects. If someone is caught on the sets, the shooting gets stalled. It also ruins the goodwill of the actor.'
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Separate rooms, budgets on film sets'. Malayalam Actress raises alarm on drug menace on movie set. Who is Sandra Thomas?
In a shocking revelation that has stirred the Malayalam film industry , producer Sandra Thomas has raised alarm over the rampant drug use on film sets, claiming it has become so institutionalised that production units are allegedly assigning separate rooms and dedicated budgets for it. Her comments, made during a recent interview with Onmanorama, have reignited a long-simmering debate around substance abuse in Mollywood and the industry's collective silence. This isn't the first time Sandra has spoken out about the issue. Back in 2023, she made similar claims, but according to her, things have only gotten worse. She told the tabloid that everyone is aware of what is happening on the sets, emphasising that the responsible film associations failed to act when it mattered most, five or ten years ago, allowing the problem to spiral out of control. One of the most disturbing aspects she pointed out is how normalised drug use has become. Sandra Thomas revealed that the situation has escalated to the point where film sets are now allegedly assigning special budgets and even separate rooms specifically for drug use. She also took a dig at prominent industry figures, indirectly pointing to producer Listin Stephen , and questioned how influential stakeholders could continue to ignore the problem despite being fully aware of its scale. Sandra Thomas emphasised that while industry associations claim it's unfair to blame the entire industry for the actions of a few, the reality is that drug use has become widespread across all levels of the Malayalam film industry, cutting across gender and status. Sandra also highlighted why many producers hesitate to report drug-related incidents on set. The fear of project delays and the potential damage to an actor's reputation often outweighs the need to take action. If someone is caught using drugs during a shoot, it can stall production and harm the actor's public image, making it difficult to continue the project without risking its success. Beyond the issue of drugs, Sandra also touched upon the urgent need for gender-sensitive reforms within the industry. She advocated for the inclusion of more women producers in Internal Complaints Committees on film sets to ensure the timely and fair handling of sexual harassment cases. Who is Sandra Thomas? Sandra Thomas has carved a unique space for herself in the Malayalam film industry, both as a producer and an actress. She rose to fame with memorable performances in films like Amen and Zachariayude Garbhinikal, the latter of which she also produced. Her production credits further include the widely acclaimed Philips and the Monkey Pen. With a strong creative vision, Sandra later launched her own banner, Sandra Thomas Productions, continuing her journey as a powerhouse in Malayalam cinema.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Producer Sandra Thomas claims portion of Malayalam film budgets being earmarked for drugs: ‘Even separate rooms are allotted'
The purported rampant inflow of drugs into the Malayalam film industry has been a hot topic for quite some time now. While these were initially just speculations — mostly hearsay — things took a serious turn recently when actor Vincy Aloshious filed a complaint with the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) against her Soothravakyam co-star Shine Tom Chacko, alleging that he harassed her while under the influence of drugs. Although she chose not to pursue legal action against him, the incident brought renewed attention to the growing issue of drug abuse in the industry. In 2023, when allegations of substance abuse among industry insiders spilt into the public realm, producer-actor Sandra Thomas was one of the prominent voices affirming that there was 'rampant drug usage' in Malayalam cinema. Fast forward two years, and according to her, not much has changed. In fact, the situation may have only worsened, with the environment becoming even more conducive to such behaviour. Only in SCREEN | Forget the actor, it's Mohanlal the producer who should make a comeback; the one behind both his National Awards for Best Actor She also recently tore into the associations concerned for their inefficiency in monitoring the issue and for failing to implement measures to curb such harmful practices at their root. 'The associations concerned should have taken a proper stand against drug use in Mollywood at least five or ten years ago. Everyone is aware of what is happening on the sets. But no one took a corrective step, as they need these people in their future projects,' she said during a chat with Onmanorama. Sandra went one step forward and even alleged that the makers were now earmarking money from the film's budget for procuring drugs. 'Now, a special budget is being allotted exclusively for this. Even separate rooms are allotted for this purpose. However, the associations say the entire industry cannot be blamed just because of one or two people. I heard Listin (producer Listin Stephen of Magic Frames) give such a statement a few days ago. So, aren't people like Listin aware of this problem? Don't they know that drugs are lavishly available and are used on the sets? They have refused to take a step against it. It has now reached a stage where both men and women and everyone, irrespective of their status, use it,' she said. Also Read | Shah Rukh Khan left quietly after I told him 'nas kaat lungi', recalls Wamiqa Gabbi: 'There was pin-drop silence on the sets of Baby John' Sandra continued, 'Producers are unwilling to raise a complaint because of fear it will stall their projects. If someone is caught on the sets, the shooting gets stalled. It also ruins the goodwill of the actor. What is the point in doing a movie with him if his goodwill is lost?' Known for bankrolling movies such as Friday (2012), Zachariayude Garbhinikal (2013), Philips and the Monkey Pen (2013), Peruchazhi (2014), Aadu (2015) and Adi Kapyare Kootamani (2015) with actor-producer Vijay Babu under the banner of Friday Film House that the two founded jointly, Sandra Thomas departed from the firm in 2017. She later established Sandra Thomas Productions and made her comeback by bankrolling Nalla Nilavulla Rathri (2023).
